West Craven product looks to improve

By David Hall / Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 12:48 AM.

Keys to the game: ECU, a 17 1/2-point favorite, must adapt to the Tigers’ ever-changing offense, make tackles and play a sound game in the secondary. The Pirates need to seize momentum early and, unlike last week, hang on to it.

The scrappy East Carolina sophomore has just figured out a way to play like one.

Hardy, a 6-foot, 185-pound former walk-on out of West Craven High School, has demonstrated an innate knack for pulling in passes regardless of the size or skill of his defenders or what opposing coordinators do to try to stop him.

He’ll try to continue what has been a strong season by any measure when the Pirates (3-3, 2-1 Conference USA) play host to league foe Memphis today at 4:30 p.m.

In six starts, Hardy has caught 39 passes for 480 yards and five touchdowns, all of which lead the team by a wide margin. And he’s done it using a combination of average height and extraordinary craftsmanship carefully honed on the practice field during the off-season.

Hardy’s winter, spring and summer work on cuts, breaks, route-running and catching has led to a simple mantra he applies in the fall.

“I know that if the ball is in the air, it’s mine,” he said. “I’ve got to go get it.”

Hardy has caught touchdown passes in five of six games this season and in nine of his past 11, including a career-long 76-yarder in last week’s 40-20 loss at Central Florida.

Primarily a slot receiver last season, he has emerged recently as a weapon on the outside, showing a constant desire to get better.

“That’s the best thing about him, is he’s confident, but he’s also humble enough to work and to keep improving,” offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley said. “When you’ve got the ability he does, that’s a pretty good combination.”

Hardy is one of several receivers sophomore quarterback Shane Carden believes will continue to make names for themselves as the season plays out.

Seven players, from Hardy to 6-foot-8 Justin Jones to 5-foot-7 Derrick Harris, have caught at least 10 passes for ECU this season.

“We’ve got some great receivers, and I think right now he’s just got the hot hands,” Carden said, referring to Hardy. “I think we’re going to really start seeing some other receivers explode here in the second half of the season.”

This would be a good week to start. Memphis (1-4, 1-0) sits ahead of the Pirates in C-USA’s East Division, tied with UCF for first place in the early going. The game is arguably a must-win for a second-place team looking to keep its league title hopes alive.

But third-year ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill said today’s contest, which serves as homecoming, is no bigger than the rest.

“We only get one game a week. That’s all we get,” he said. “And we want to try to win that one game a week. That’s all we ask.”

Pirates defensive coordinator Brian Mitchell said he is wary of the Tigers’ multiple-look offense. Mitchell got to know first-year Memphis coach Justin Fuente when Fuente was an assistant at TCU and Mitchell was on the staff at BYU.

At the midway point of the season, the lack of progress made by his youthful secondary remains Mitchell’s top concern. The Pirates are surrendering 278.5 passing yards per game, good for 10th in the 12-team league.

“Overall position mastery back there is probably where we need to show the biggest growth the rest of this year,” Mitchell said.

“We’ve improved in every category except passing yards, and that shows inconsistency in what we’re doing back there.”

Last season as a slot receiver, Hardy was often pressed or covered by a bigger body in an attempt to neutralize him. His off-season work has helped turn that strategy into a mistake.

“This year, he’s making people pay when they do that,” Riley said. “He’s really just making himself a dynamic guy, and he still can get so much better. That’s what’s exciting about him.”

Asked about his season at the halfway point, Hardy was only mildly complimentary of himself. But he did agree with Riley.

“I’m pleased,” Hardy said, “but I know I can do better.”

NOTES: The Pirates lead the series 14-6, including a current six-game winning streak. ... ECU running back Reggie Bullock, who sustained a concussion two weeks ago against Texas-El Paso, will not play today.

David Hall can be reached at (252) 559-1086 or at david.hall@kinston.com.

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Memphis at East Carolina

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

Greenville

Today, 4:30 p.m.

On TV: WITN TV-7

On the radio: 107.9 WNCT

Online: ecupirates.com (All-Access)

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How they match up

Memphis ECU

Points per game 20.6 20.5

Opp. PPG 29.8 26.7

Rushing yards per game 130.0 110.8

Passing YPG 159.6 237.7

Keys to the game: ECU, a 17 1/2-point favorite, must adapt to the Tigers’ ever-changing offense, make tackles and play a sound game in the secondary. The Pirates need to seize momentum early and, unlike last week, hang on to it.